1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of firestopping appliances positionable within an aperture located within a wall for firestop sealing around cables, wires or other longitudinal members which would otherwise be required to extend through the wall area. Such firestopping fixtures include various types of sealing inserts within the outer shell of the firestopping member, and the present invention provides a significant improvement in the design of such inserts.
Normally such a firestopping sleeve includes an outer shell defining an opening extending longitudinally therethrough with a sealing insert positioned therein for sealing between the interior wall of the outer shell which defines the longitudinal opening, and the outer surface of the cables that extend therethrough. The present invention provides a means for enhancing engagement of the firestopping seal both with respect to the interior walls of the outer shell, and also enhancing sealing thereof with respect to the cables extending therethrough for preventing the flow of fire, smoke or heat through the wall in the area localized adjacent to the wall-penetrating cables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many patents have been designed for the purpose of providing a seal around cables or wires extending through a structural panel such as a wall, floor or ceiling surface and enhancing sealing immediately adjacent to said cables such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,542,583 patented Feb. 20, 1951 to W. T. Shea, Jr. on a “Cable-Sealing Fitting”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,713,284 patented Jul. 19, 1955 to W. A. Bedford, Jr. on a “Spaced Panel Fastening Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,226 patented Jan. 24, 1956 to N. Brattberg on a “Pressure-Tight Packing Assembly For Conductors Passing Through A Wall”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,696 patented Jun. 24, 1969 to E. G. Hagelin et al on a “Method For Sealing Joints and the Like”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,255 patented Jul. 9, 1974 to F. E. La Gase et al on a “Flame And Radiation Resistant Cable” and assigned to Cyprus Mines Corporation; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,825 patented Aug. 24, 1976 to H. Anderberg on a “Lead-Through For Electric Cables And The Like; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,736 patented May 2, 1978 to L. P. Landrigan and assigned to Daniel International Corporation on “Fire and Liquid Seals For Pipes and Conduits and Method of Forming Same”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,818 patented Jun. 6, 1978 to P. J. Thwaites et al and assigned to Dufaylite Developments Limited on “Fire-Protective Cellular Service Ducting”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,619 patented Feb. 19, 1980 to J. W. Pedlow on a “Fire Protective Mastic and Fire Stop”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,667 patented Dec. 9, 1980 to J. N. Pallucci et al and assigned to Tech-Sil, Inc. on a “Method and Apparatus for Installing Gel Material in Architectural Barrier Breaches”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,821 patented Jun. 16, 1981 to J. W. Pedlow on “Fire Protective Tape”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,332 patented Jun. 30, 1981 to G. K. Castle on a “Fire Proof Cable Tray Enclosure”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,917 patented Dec. 1, 1981 to L. A. Fermvik et al and assigned to Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson on a “Method and Means for Fire-Sealing a Penetration For A Conduit”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,546 patented Dec. 29, 1981 to R. Dolder and assigned to Geberit A G on “Fire Retardant Partitioning For Openings For Plastic Pipe Lines”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,998 patented Sep. 7, 1982 to T. J. Loree and assigned to The Boeing Company on a “Multiple Wire Bundle Support Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,867 patented Jan. 10, 1984 to W. A. Mallow and assigned to Fiberglas Canada Inc. on “Heat Hardening Sealant-Gel For Flexible Couplings”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,173 patented Apr. 23, 1985 to R. P. Merry and assigned to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company on “Intumescent Fire Protective Sheaths”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,853 patented Oct. 22, 1985 to H. H. Bryan on a “Closure For A Surface Opening Having An Object Passing Therethrough and Method of Forming the Closure”; and U.S. Pat. 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Beele assigned to CSD International B.V. on a “System For The Prevention of Fire, Water or Flue Gas and the Like From Propagating Along Cables”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,608 patented Feb. 25, 1992 to G. John and assigned to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company on a “Flame Retardant Splicing System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,115 patented Dec. 8, 1992 to Chung hsiang on an “Adhesive and Fastener-Free Footing Pad”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,077 patented Dec. 29, 1992 to G. Murota and assigned to The Furukawa on a “Fire Protecting Structure Of Channel Portion Of Plastic Piping In A Fire Partition”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,106 patented Sep. 6, 1994 to J. A. Beele and assigned to Beele Engineering B.V. on a “Fire Resisting Cable System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,400 patented Sep. 5, 1995 to H E. Seymour and assigned to Xantech Corporation on a “Wall Penetrator Fitting”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,050 patented Oct. 10, 1995 to T. T. Ward and assigned to Construction Consultants & Contractors, Inc. on a “System to Prevent Spread Of Fire and Smoke Through Wall-Breaching Utility Holes”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,202 patented Jan. 14, 1997 to M. A. Tobias on a “Split Sleeve System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,304 patented Jun. 3, 1997 to M. P. Sakno on “Water Impervious Intumescent Firestop Collapsing Conduit”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,938 patented Mar. 24, 1998 to M. A. Tobias on a “Wall Penetrator Sleeve System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,476 patented Dec. 12, 2000 to K. Sjotun and assigned to Trelleborg Viking AS on a “Tune or Hose Capable of Withstanding Extreme Heat Flux Densities”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,297 patented Jan. 8, 2002 to K. R. Cornwall on a “Self Sealing Firestop Coupling Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,502 patented Jun. 18, 2002 to K. R. Cornwall on a “Firestop Assembly Comprising Intumescent Material Within A Metal Extension Mounted On The Inner Surface Of A Plastic Coupling”; and U.S. Pat. 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Gormerley on a “Protective Plate Kit For Cables and the Like”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,441,565 patented Oct. 28, 2008 to M. Imamura et al and assigned to Tosetz Co., Ltd. on a “Fire Protective Zone Penetrating Member and Injection-Molding Method For The Same”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,465,888 patented Dec. 16, 2008 to M. Fischer et al and assigned to Hilti Aktiengesellshaft on a “Cast-In Element For Forming A Leadthrough For Conduits”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,956 patented Mar. 17, 2009 to D. M. Thaler and assigned to Caterpillar Inc. on an “Exhaust Treatment Device With Adjustable Retention Collar”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,523,590 patented Apr. 28, 2009 to J. P. Stahl, Sr. and assigned to Specified Technologies Inc. on an “Intumescent Firestopping Apparatus and Method”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,581,362 patented Sep. 1, 2009 to J. A. Vaughan and assigned to METIS Holdings on a “Conduit With Adjustable Length and Fire Collar”; and United States Patent Publication No. 2008/0128998 published Jun. 5, 2008 to M. Klein et al and assigned to Hilti Aktiengesellshaft on a “Leadthrough and a Sealing Element For The Leadthrough”.